


Rising Suns

by dangerouslysoft



Series: In The Ribbons [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Equestrian, Horseback Riding, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:40:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25833649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dangerouslysoft/pseuds/dangerouslysoft
Summary: In The Ribbons is about many people. Mostly in the equestrian world, but also some linked to those outside of that very small niche. It’s about good and evil. It’s about love and loss. It’s friends, family, lovers, and losers. But most importantly it’s about the tale, and how these characters influence and change it. How the past, present, and future all come together to create a story that could possibly change the way you think about your own life and your own choices.There’s the woman who’s worked hard all her life, not ready to settle down, seemingly ever, but is thrown a huge choice, which may be the biggest of her life.The girl who loses everything, who thinks nothing can go right, and is raised from the ashes of her sorrows into the crowning moment of her life thus far.A woman who can finally be at peace with the demons of her past.A girl who figures out that she’s not all that, and to be humble is to be happy.The guy who was always stereotyped, bullied, and put down, all for his choice in who he wants to marry will finally get the freedom to choose for himself.The man who married the girl of his dreams and became what he always wanted.And plenty more.
Series: In The Ribbons [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874449





	Rising Suns

Almira Viera, a blonde haired sixteen year old girl, awoke around five a.m. that Sunday morning. Allie, as all the girls called her, was participating in a horse show today. She had to be at the barn by six. She hopped out of bed, excited to begin the day.

She loved showing and she especially loved her horse, Venture. Though she’d only started working with him this show season, he was already one in a million to her. He was big, beautiful, and young, but he knew his job. Horses like him only came along once in a lifetime. Allie and Venture compete in Junior Equitation, which is judged largely on the rider. The horse however, must be responsive and cooperative.

“Allie, sweetie, are you ready to go?” her mother asked from the bottom of the stairs.

“Yeah Mom, just finishing getting ready. I’ll be down in a few minutes. Can you put my bags by the door?”

She finished up in her room and shut the door so her puppy wouldn’t get in and chew on anything. She nearly flew down the stairs, but did so quietly, so as not to wake her sister, Shannon. Allie gathered her bags and headed out into the chilly morning air. She opened the door to her little silver Nissan Altima and stuck the gear in the back seat. Her mother and father would follow later on with her sister.

She put on her “Horse Show Playlist” and drove just a few miles faster than normal.

This was her day. It was a qualifier for Finals and if she placed well today, she was a shoe-in. With Venture, she had great chances. God forbid she didn’t place, there were another two qualifiers available in the next two weeks that she could compete and try to win at.

She kept thinking about everything she needed to do while in the show ring. She needed to have perfect Equitation and Venture needed to be on his game. She had a good feeling about today.

As Allie pulled into the driveway of Finesse Equestrian Center, a sudden queasiness filled her. Just nerves, she thought, no big deal!

Her instructor, and the owner of the farm, Marla DeRosa, met her by the truck and trailer.

“How are you feeling this morning, Allie?” Marla asked as they placed her bags in the dressing room of the trailer.

“Pretty good. I think Venture and I will do really well today.”

“Excellent. Keep that positive attitude!” she high-fived Allie and led her into the barn, where the grooms already had horses out on crossties.

The Finesse Equestrian show team was big. They had everything and every level from short stirrup to the Grand Prix Show Jumpers. Today, only a small portion of the team would be going. There were ten girls that comprised the Equitation team. Allie was proud to be a part of that.

Allie met Pablo, who was brushing shavings out of Venture’s tail, to see how much longer he would be. The grooms were quickly cleaning the horses up, bathing if needed, finishing braids on manes and tails, and outfitting the horses with shipping boots. It usually got very hot in the trailer, so sweat sheets or cooler sheets were loaded for each horse as well. Everything else, like saddles, bridles, grooming supplies and anything else had been loaded into the trailer the previous day.

“How is my beautiful boy today?” she asked, knowing she would not receive a verbal answer, but instead a gentle nudge from the bay gelding. Pablo smiled at her.

“He was very frisky when I took him out. Wanted to trot around a bit,” he said with a spanish accent. Like most show barns, Marla hired foreign grooms because they would work for less, but do a fantastic job regardless.

“He’s excited to be showing. It’s been a month now since he’s been off the farm. He’s raring to go.” Allie patted Venture forehead, where he had a small cowlick in the center of the white diamond shaped patch of hair. Once Pablo was done with his tail, he velcroed the shipping boots on and led Venture to the trailer.

They loaded horses and secured everything in the trailer. Six horses were going today, with six girls for Equitation. This was a qualifier for Equitation Regionals so they needed to be the top of their game. They needed to be perfect. The girls said their goodbyes to their horses and separated to their cars. Parents would follow later on in the day.

Music blared through the speakers in Allie’s car. She was driving three of the girls to the show, and they followed behind the trailer so they didn’t have to use GPS or get lost. It was a long drive to the show.

Emily was in the car in the passenger seat and their friend Kemper was in the back. Emily was also sixteen and Kemper was eighteen. This was Kemper’s last year to compete in the Junior Equitation so she was hoping for a spot in the top ten at Finals.

Emily was a lanky girl, with brown curly hair and very fine facial features. She usually rode Shaniko, or Shan for short. Shan was a dark bay Thoroughbred, who was saved from the racetrack more than seven years ago by Marla. She and Sadie, one of the other instructors, re-trained him to jump and then sold him to Emily’s family, who had developed an amazing bond with the horse. Emily still had another two years to compete in the Equitation with Shan, unless she won this year. Emily was the top Junior Equitation rider at Finesse. She was going as a groom for today as she was already qualified for the Finals. Another girl, usually quiet and quite reserved, Elsa, was also in the back seat. She was seventeen and she was an excellent rider. She would be gunning on Allie’s heels for the top spot.

As they pulled the trailer into the show grounds at Fusion Show Park, Allie’s feeling of nausea went away. It was all adrenaline now.

The girls who were competing today unloaded their horses and began to tack them up. Marla walked to the show office to get their numbers and a class list. Allie quickly brushed Venture once more and placed her saddle on his back. She kept the cover on it, and pulled the stirrups down so that no dust would get on the meticulously cleaned buffalo hide saddle in the warm up ring.

Marla gave the girls their numbers and they mounted up.

There wasn’t much talking with the Finesse team. Marla had taught the girls that it’s better to be quiet and thinking than loud and worrying about what could go wrong on course. If they had concerns they were to take it up with Marla.

Kemper and Elsa would go before Almira. Kemper lived at her own family farm, where she kept her horses. She had the one she was showing today, Waureagan, her Show Jumper, Tenzen, and his half-brother who was only a year old, Tibetan. Waureagan or Wario as he was cleverly nick-named, was a huge PMU horse, whom she rescued a few years back. It took awhile to train him and gain his trust, but he would jump the moon for Kemper.

Elsa on the other hand, leased a horse from Marla, named Kazmanian Devil, Kaz for short. He was similar to Venture in that he had the fiery spirit that made up most of his personality. You could point him at any jump and he would take it, long, short, or the perfect distance. He was perfect for Elsa in this way because she needed something with a lot of confidence even though she could ride anything you out her on.

Both girls rode flawlessly to the untrained eye, however, Elsa still lacked certainty at some of the fences, which Kaz made up for but you could see that he sometimes shook her up. Kemper and Wario were always loose-cannons and when it was all about precision and timing, you could see the obvious absence of such.

“Next up is number 389, Almira Viera, riding Ventura Highway. Almira rides for Finesse Equestrian Center, in Wickford.” the announcer said.

“Alright, Allie, just be soft, quiet, and allow him to flow around the course with you. Now go get ‘em, girlie,” Marla said, patting Venture on his butt as the pair walked past.

Allie was excited, but she just didn’t feel right all of a sudden. Maybe it was just nerves.

They trotted into the ring, confidence oozing. Hoping the judges could see that, she picked up the canter and did her courtesy circle. Then she began her course.

The first jump was very plain with a single rail. This was to trick horse and rider and to see if they could figure out the correct distance. Of course Allie did and they cleared the first jump easily. The second was five strides away and had brush under it. Venture had no problem with that. The third, ten strides away and they came in a little hot. Venture got worried but Allie brought him back. Then came a line. Three jumps, a swoop with some yellow flowers, a bridge after two strides with blue and white wings, and two to a brushy oxer. They cleared everything. As they cantered to the next line the feeling of nausea came back and rushed Allie’s head. She blinked quickly and focused back on the jump in front of her. But suddenly it wasn't a jump, it was leaves and branches. She'd fallen from her horse somehow. She tried to look around but a sharp pain hit the back of her head and she flinched violently in agony. As for Venture, Marla was able to grab him. Something wasn't right though. He was limping. He was limping bad.

=====

Allie was tended to by the doctor on site. A concussion. Apparently Venture had pulled up when she blinked and in half a second, she fell to his left and hit her head hard on the wing of the jump. She was dizzy and her vision was blurry. It was easier for her to just close her eyes and listen to what the doctor was telling her parents.

“She has a mild concussion, a bit of whiplash in her neck. Nothing some rest won’t cure. Her helmet certainly helped prevent further injury though, thank god,” he said, Allie’s parents listening carefully, clutched in each other’s arms.

After kissing her on the forehead several times and telling her to rest and she’d be fine, they left and went to check on Venture. His prognosis was not a happy one.

The gelding had been sedated to prevent him from further injuring the leg as he was in shock and quite distressed. The vet spoke to Marla along with Allie’s parents, explaining exactly what he’d seen.

“He’s done some decent damage to his suspensory in the left front. It’s too swollen for me to really take a look on the ultrasound. I recommend getting him home and in a stall as quick as you can and have your vet out asap. Once the swelling has gone down some, they’ll be able to check out if there’s any more damage. For now though he’s sedated and can be carefully loaded onto the trail. I’d have someone ride in the back with him as well, just to monitor him. For now I can give you an anti-inflammatory gel to put on that leg for a few days, until your vet comes out. I can also give you ACE to keep him quiet if you need it.”

Marla glanced over at Allie’s parents. Like most of the other parents, they were clueless because they only paid for the horse and came to shows. They didn’t know what to do.

“Mr. and Mrs. Viera, I suggest you take the horse home. I don’t think euthanasia is an option. It’s better to try and rehabilitate him rather than let him sit or retire. It’ll upset him more to be a backyard pet than to show and have a girl ride him six days a week,” the vet explained. Marla nodded her head in agreement.

“We have the capabilities to rehab him at the farm. We have a medical paddock and the grooms to watch him and ----- "

“Now Allie, you have to understand, he may not heal. He could be in pain for the rest of his life. If we give him a year and he's not okay then we'll have to re-home him or ----- "

“But there’s a chance...” Allie asked, tears stinging her eyes as she held Venture’s head close to her chest.

“There’s always a chance. But if you give him the chance it’s going to be a long process. It’s going to be months, maybe even years before he’s back to where he was. If it’s bad enough he may not even be able to jump again. He could be crippled for the rest of his life. There’s risk of re-injury.”

“I don’t care! I want him to get better! I’ll make him better!”


End file.
